Kissing Santa Claus Page 21

  Her fingertips snaked up his stomach to rest on his chest. “Then I guess you’re stuck experimenting with this woman from Philadelphia.”

  Hell, yeah. “Works for me.”

  The minute their mouths met he knew every part of her worked for him. Soft lips pressed against his, gentle at first, and then anything but. One minute she leaned into him, and then next she tried to crawl inside him. Her hands rubbed over his shoulders and back as her mouth slanted over his again and again.

  And she was not alone in her eagerness. He couldn’t get enough of her. Her taste. The feel of her firm body under his hands. The smell of shampoo in her hair. The heat radiating off of her as his fingers learned her shape. That hot, wet mouth pressing and licking against his.

  Within seconds his body reacted. It was as if he hadn’t held a woman or had sex in years. Like he was starved for her. He wanted to pick her up and take her to bed like in some 1950s movie and carry her away to a place where they could forget about anything and anyone else for a few hours.

  Instead he broke off the kiss and gulped in air as he took a small step back. He didn’t drop his hands from her waist because his hands refused to let go. They stayed right there, on her, locking her close.

  This being on-duty thing sucked.

  She smiled up at him, her hands still resting on his forearms and her gaze still cloudy from the mind-blowing kiss. “Your eyes are the prettiest shade of green.”

  He’d never been called pretty before, but many people commented on the recessive gene that gifted him his eye color. “My Japanese mother and Caucasian father produced two green-eyed children and my brown-eyed brother.”

  “Good grief. That means there’s another one like you out there somewhere?” She sounded a bit in awe of the idea.

  “Is that a bad thing?”

  “I wouldn’t be kissing you if it were.” She drew her finger along his jaw line. “Now what?”

  Ted had to swallow three times to keep from lowering his head and capturing her mouth again. “We find Hank.”

  Her smile grew even wider. “That’s really what you want to do next?”

  What he wanted to do was her, but he had to make sure she was safe first. That he had a handle on the mess swirling around her. “A man’s gotta work.”

  She tapped his nose. “You’re compartmentalizing again.”

  And it was killing him. They were going to sleep together and soon. That fact was the only thing keeping him from losing his mind now. But he had to figure out the reasons behind the robberies first. They had days. Waiting a few more hours wouldn’t kill him. At least he hoped that was true.

  “Like you, I have a job to do,” he said.

  She dropped her hands. “And you’re going to do it now.”

  “We are. And then we’ll come back and have dinner. I hear the room service here is good.” Screw the food. He planned to work his way through a box of condoms before letting anyone else near the room or Marissa.

  “So we’re not done with this non-work conversation.” She toyed with the top button of his shirt.

  “Not even close.”

  She kissed his chin. “Good.”

  5

  “Marissa, there you are.” Hank threw open the hotel room door before Marissa finished knocking.

  He reached out and dragged her into his room before she could catch her balance. When he tried to close the door on Ted as if he were just an escort or something she figured she better clear up any confusion before Ted unloaded on the guy.

  “Hank, wait.” The second she saw Hank moving in for a hug, she shoved against his chest and turned back to the hottie in the hallway. “This is Ted Greene.”

  “Oh, sure. The policeman who helped you earlier.” Hank held out his hand. “Thanks for that. We missed each other at the police station because that guy from the FBI wouldn’t let me come back and take care of Marissa.”

  Ted eyed Hank as if the older man were a bug about to be squashed. “It’s my job to get in the way of the FBI.”

  “Really?” she asked, strangely intrigued by the idea of Ted taking on the feds.

  “Not really.” Ted shook the other man’s hand but didn’t push to enter. He was too busy looking Hank up and down and glancing into the room behind him.

  Seemed the good officer was always on duty. Certainly back in business mode. Marissa appreciated Ted’s determination; she just wasn’t so sure she liked being relegated to the position of job assignment.

  “Did you have some follow-up questions for Marissa?” Hank kept a death grip on the door and positioned his body to block Ted from following her into the room.

  If the testosterone move bothered Ted, he sure didn’t show it. His voice stayed even. “You could say that.”

  For some reason Marissa felt obligated to protect Hank. Ted wore a mask of calm, but she guessed he wasn’t all that pleased at being treated like the hired help.

  “He’s here because I had another problem,” she explained.

  Hank brushed a hand up and down her arm. Funny how he could have done that yesterday and she wouldn’t have given it a second thought. Now, thanks to Ted’s prodding, she saw warning signs flash before her eyes.

  “Your phone message was garbled. You said you had to stay because of the purse snatching?” Hank asked.

  “Because of a second attempted theft,” Ted said.

  Hank grabbed her hands. “What do you mean? Why didn’t you call me?”

  “I did,” she said as she tugged out of his grip.

  Hank pushed the door halfway closed right on Ted who just stood there with a half-smile on his face. Rather than allow the slight to escalate into an all out war, Marissa stepped back and out of Hank’s touching zone. She also slipped a foot into the open doorway in case Hank got the idea to slam the door on Ted’s face. When her foot brushed against Ted’s she realized he had the same idea.

  “You were out seeing Kauai. You probably didn’t have service. Besides, it was your first chance to visit the island,” she said.

  “Wait. You haven’t done any sightseeing?” Ted asked the question to her instead of to Hank, the surprise in his voice evident.

  “I’ve been working.”

  The corner of Ted’s mouth kicked up. “There are parts of Kauai worth seeing other than the hotel and the airport, you know.”

  She did. That was one of her many frustrations with her job—the lack of downtime. She loved analyzing a problem and coming up with art and sales concepts, but she missed the quiet moments. She had been working her tail off for years. She watched her father leave and her mother struggle to become independent. Her mother’s identity consisted of being a housewife and cook. Nothing else.

  With that as a role model, Marissa vowed never to be beholden to a male for financial security and happiness. She could make her own way. If that meant a little less personal time, she had accepted that. But now, being on Kauai and not having a minute to enjoy it, she wondered if her vow of independence had taken her to the extreme.

  “Thank you, officer. I can handle it from here,” Hank said and then, as expected, tried to shut the door with Ted standing right there in the path.

  Ted was faster. He grabbed the edge and shoved back, hitting Hank in the forehead.

  “Hey!”

  “Sorry about that,” Ted mumbled.

  From what Marissa heard, the good officer sounded anything but sorry. Looked rather pleased with himself, in fact. Accident, like hell.

  “What are you doing?” Hank asked as he rubbed his head.

  Ted whipped out his notepad and pen. “I wanted to ask you a few questions.”

  “I’m not sure I can help, but come in.” Hank grumbled under his breath about civil servants as he walked to the edge of the queen-size bed.

  “Subtle,” she whispered the word to Ted.

  He winked. “Wasn’t trying to be.”

  “I told the FBI and the police officer all I know about the problem at the airport.” Hank dropped onto the be
d. “The TSA guy really gave Marissa a hard time for no reason. She knew she should be allowed on the plane despite the lack of identification. He refused to listen.”

  “Which is exactly what I’ve been saying,” she pointed out even though she knew they were there for another reason.

  “Did you know about the clearance regulations?” Ted shut the door behind him and walked over to the chest of drawers as he asked Hank the question.

  Marissa noticed that Ted talked and scanned the room at the same time. What she initially took for disinterest was anything but. He hid his high-alert status behind a calm, almost bored, demeanor, but he never stopped drinking in his surroundings.

  “I looked it up on my computer and took a printout of the procedures with me just in case there was a problem,” Hank said.

  Ted nodded. “Very enterprising of you.”

  Hank’s chest puffed out under Ted’s false praise. “The TSA agent went off on Marissa before I could talk to him and explain that she needed a special screening.”

  Marissa wanted to roll her eyes. She knew the rules. She had looked them up before leaving for the airport and didn’t need Hank riding to her rescue. She told him that in the cab. Said it again before they got in the security line. She had the entire situation under control. Well, everything except the TSA guy’s attitude. The moron had something to prove and she became his example.

  Without any fanfare Ted picked up the plane ticket sitting on Hank’s suitcase, looked at it, and set it back down again. “I’m not here about the TSA problem.”

  Hank’s gaze darted around the room. “You’re not?”

  “Were you in your room this morning around seven?”

  “Of course. I was asleep.” Hank started fidgeting. First his hands, then his feet. His body stayed in motion. “Why? Is that when this other issue happened?”

  If he meant issue as in break-in, yeah. “Someone got into my room,” she said.

  Hank came up off the bed. “What?”

  Ted motioned for Hank to sit back down. “Your room is across the hall. I need to know if you saw or heard anything.”

  “Were you hurt?” Hank asked, his voice filled with concern until he turned on Ted again. “And what the hell is wrong with the police on Kauai?”

  “Can you be more specific?” Ted asked with a load of sarcasm that seemed to miss Hank.

  The more flustered Hank got, the calmer Ted became. Marissa figured it was some top-secret police trick. Whatever it was, it impressed the hell out of her. She wished she knew Ted’s secret to self-control.

  “You have a crime wave,” Hank said.

  Ted pretended to think about the comment. “It does seem that way, doesn’t it?”

  “I’m the only victim,” she said before Ted won some sort of acting award.

  Hank’s mouth dropped open. “You mean that in the entire hotel only your room got hit?”

  Ted tapped his pen against his notepad. “Strange, isn’t it?”

  Hank reached for her hand. Instead of pulling away, she let him take it. After one squeeze she dropped her arm to her side again, relieved he let go before Ted hit him with the television.

  “You should move in this room with me,” Hank said.

  Now there was a terrible idea. “I’m fine in my room.”

  “She’s safe.” A sharp tone replaced Ted’s usual lazy drawl.

  Hank missed the change in mood, but she didn’t. Even Ted’s stance morphed from relaxed to stiff. From his feet, hip-length apart, to his shoulders he stood perfectly straight. Nothing moved. Loaded and ready to pounce. She would bet Ted just wanted Hank to slip up, give a reason, for a fight to start.

  Hank’s face turned as red as the throw pillows on the bed. “I’m supposed to believe you?”

  Ted smiled. “Most people think I’m trustworthy.”

  Ted was just playing with Hank now, wanting the older man to react and react poorly. She would bet her life on it. “Uh, maybe we should—”

  Hank cut her off by yelling. He was pointing and gesturing and otherwise making a scene. “She’s been robbed and now attacked.”

  Ted’s eyebrow inched up. “When was she attacked?”

  “Well, she could have been. Thank God she was working out instead of in her room when the robbery happened.”

  The room fell silent. For a second no one said a thing. Marissa had no idea what just happened, but she was grateful when Ted’s shoulders relaxed.

  “Yeah. Thank God.” Ted folded his notebook and tucked it in his shirt pocket. “I think we’re good here.”

  The man never ceased to surprise her. Here she thought they were getting started on Hank and Ted was done. “Really?”

  Hank blew out a long breath. Something that looked like relief flashed across his face as the deep lines in his forehead eased. “Thanks for looking into this. I’ll make sure Marissa stays safe until she leaves.”

  She rolled her eyes. “Marissa can take care of herself.”

  “Marissa will be fine with me,” Ted said.

  Hank’s defensive shield went right back up again. “What are you talking about?”

  Ted shot her an I’m-in-charge look, one that suggested she agree.

  “Marissa is under my protection for the remainder of her stay.”

  Hank’s cheeks grew even redder. “That’s not necessary.”

  “I agree,” Marissa mumbled.

  “I think it is.” Ted slipped his hand under her elbow in a gesture that caught Hank’s attention and held it. “Can’t have some sick wacko taking shots at tourists. It would be bad for Kauai’s image. You guys know all about image.”

  Hank’s gaze stayed on Ted’s hand. “That’s admirable but Marissa will be fine with me.”

  “Why do I feel like a stuffed doll?” Marissa asked.

  Ted ignored her comment and kept holding on. “You have her cell and she has your numbers. We’ll be in touch.”

  Hank started sputtering. “But—”

  Ted maneuvered her out the door and closed it behind her before Hank could protest further. She was halfway down the hall before her brain clicked back into functioning mode. “I told you he was innocent.”

  Ted made a face and not a nice one. “For a smart woman you’re being kind of dumb.”

  She thought about being insulted but went with honest instead. “Okay, maybe Hank does have a little crush.”

  Ted’s mouth dropped open. “Little? That’s like saying the ocean is kind of big.”

  Yeah, she wasn’t sure when it happened but Hank seemed jealous. More bossy than she remembered, too. Great. Getting him to aim his affections somewhere else would be a delicate task since there was a male ego involved, but she’d figure it out.

  Ted smacked the elevator button and turned to face her. “He’s guilty.”

  Marissa saw the accusation coming and was ready with a counterargument. “He’s overzealous, maybe, but all he did was step up and offer to help. That’s hardly a crime. Certainly not the act of someone who would want to hurt me.”

  Ted slammed his hand against the button a second time. “Are you kidding?”

  “No, and don’t roll your eyes at me.” When the door chimed, they both stepped in the car and faced front.

  Ted put his hands on the railing along the back of the elevator, sliding his arm to just behind her back. “Did you notice how Hank knew you were in the gym this morning?”

  Uh, no. She’d missed all that through Ted’s verbal volleys. “The fact I like to work out isn’t a secret.”

  Ted leaned his head back against the mirrored wall and touched his shoulder to hers. “Did you tell him you were going to the gym?”

  “Well, no.”

  “Did you work out in the gym every morning while you were here?”

  This just got worse and worse. Ted’s interrogation tactics didn’t help, either. “I didn’t have time.”

  “Do you see why I’m skeptical about the guy?” Ted whispered the question into her ear. Even managed to mak
e it sound kind of sexy.

  She fought back the shiver that raced from her neck to her knees. “But why? We’ve known each other for years.”

  “And now you’re vying for the same job. Combine that with the fact he made a pass and you turned him down, which bruised his ego—and stop shaking your head at me because you know I’m right.”

  She turned sideways to face Ted. Being this close made a serious conversation tough because all she wanted to do was kiss him, but she tried to stay focused. “Then why would Hank stay on Kauai with me.”

  Ted grinned. “I haven’t figured that part out yet.”

  “Then I guess you don’t know everything.”

  His gaze searched her face. “I’m working on it.”

  “Well, I’m only here for a few more days so think fast.”

  “Speaking of that,” he said as he brushed his fingers through her hair. “I’ll be back to your room for dinner in a few hours.”

  The commanding tone warmed her from the inside out. “Are you asking or telling?”

  His finger traced a line down her cheek to her jaw. “I thought we settled this.”

  “Assuming we’re going to have sex is tacky. You should ask. At least try a little foreplay.”

  He dropped his hand. “Oh. Sorry.”

  She immediately missed the intimacy of his warm touch. “You’re forgiven.”

  “What should I say?” He brushed his fingertips along her collarbone.

  “I doubt this is your first date.”

  “Hardly, but the clock is ticking.” He pointed to his watch and made a clicking sound.

  “True but that doesn’t mean you can take me for granted.”

  “Understood.” With his hands on her shoulders, his thumbs kneading her flesh with a soft touch, he leaned in and kissed the space right under her ear. “So, Ms. Brandt, would you like to have dinner with me tonight?”

  She almost fell to the floor at the mix of mouth and hands. “Wh-where?”

  He planted a line of kisses across her cheek, each one softer than the one before, until he reached her mouth. His lips hovered just above hers. “Wherever you want to go.”

  “My room is fine.” In fact, she thought they should skip the food and the work and head there right now.